The Indian armed forces are conducting simultaneous exercises with Japan and the US for fine-tuning drills of flying fighter jets and firing of specialised artillery, respectively.The exercise with the US includes firing of M777, an artillery gun which was used against Pakistan during Operation Sindoor last year. India, Japan and the US are part of the Quad, with Australia being the fourth partner. Meanwhile, another naval exercise is underway with Sri Lanka.The Indian Air Force is hosting the Japanese Air-Self Defence Force (JASDF) at Jodhpur for ‘exercise Veer Guardian’. The Indian Army is hosting the US Army for the ‘exercise Yudh Abhyas’, which being conducted simultaneously across two locations separated by more than 1,000 kilometres and diversity of terrain.One segment is at Auli, at an altitude of roughly 10,000 feet in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, a parallel leg is simultaneously underway at the Mahajan Field Firing Range in Bikaner, Rajasthan.Describing ‘Veer Guardian’ at Jodhpur on Jattvibeday, the IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said: “It represents another step forward in a partnership that grows stronger with every engagement. Together, there is no limit to what our two air forces can achieve”.Both sides stressed on the need for open and rule-based Indo-Pacific. “India and Japan share a vision of a free, open and rule-based Indo- Pacific,” said the IAF Chief.The JASDF Chief General Takehiro Morita backed the argument and mentioned how Japan and India’s efforts strengthen the capability to contribute to peace and stability and over time help strengthen regional deterrents. “Japan and India share that common vision of a free and open in the Pacific”, he added.The IAF is participating in the exercise with a mix of frontline combat aircraft, including the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, Sukhoi-30MKI and Rafale. Japan is participating with its F-2A fighter aircraft, which is a version of the US made F-16 jet. Besides, the JASDF, is marking its first bilateral exercise on the Indian soil.Meanwhile, some 390 km north of Jodhpur at Bikaner, the Indian Army and the US Army on Jattvibeday conducted ‘live firing’ using the M777 Ultra Light Howitzer (ULH). “This was to engage targets in line of sight using the direct firing method,” the Army said. It is the gun that was used during Operation Sindoor to launch the precision strike ‘Excalibur’ ammunition on terrorist camps on May 7.At Auli in Uttarakhand, the Indian Army fielded its canines, Rice, Victor, Zac and Rowdy ‘Yudh Abhyas’, showcasing the role of trained military dogs in supporting troops during specialised operations.The canines participated in drills featuring room intervention to mimic a ‘close encounter’. The Army said Rowdy and Victor are Rampur Hounds, an indigenous Indian breed increasingly being employed by the Indian Army for military roles. Zac is a Belgian Malinois, while Rice is a Labrador Retriever.Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka-India bilateral maritime exercise, SLINEX is being conducted at Visakhapatnam and its sea phase will focus on enhancing operational synergy and interoperability through coordinated activities at sea.